OUTDOOR SPORTS.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 190, 12 August 1919, Page 8

OUTDOOR SPORTS.

(By ACTABOX.) FOOTBALL. RUGBY. On Saturday next the return match, Auckland v. Thames should provide local enthusiasts with a game worth seeing. In years gone by Thames put some great, teams in the field, which more than once hauled down the Auckland colours when Auckland had vanquished teams from the big southern strongholds. Since then Rugby bus languished somewhat in the goldlields, but the last two years hue seen a great revival of the game, and a hint that Thames is its'old self again was supplied to a strong Auckland fifteen which vit-ited the goldliclds three or four weeks ago, and was defeated by six points to nil. Both in the forwards and in the backs Thames has new men who are reputed champions, and city enthusiasts wjll be glad to see the.ie men in action against the best that Auckland can oppose them with. The club championship points now stamens, oh. ]• w. i.. r>. v. a. i". Oolleffp rtlflps ii :> i i -j-jr. s? Nt •Grammar .. n> c, i' •_• i.v> S2 H •'t'nivrrsity 10 7 :: - L'Ot> H£S 14 •Graftou 10 c, i _ in> 114 V 2 Ponsonby ... 11 r. r. 1 171 ISJ 11 Miirlst Bros.. 11 -I 7 — H'l 112 H ••-Pani.'ii ... in — in -. :::; :;n _ •Drawn mati-li (1:! alh. to l>o repliiyc-U. -•Hue mutch postponed. MAR IST BROTHERS OLD BOYS V. POXSOXBY.

Ponsonby was more than :\ match fur Marist Jirothert.nMßoys.it the Victoria Park on Saturday. The vanguard, throwing the ball about to good advantage, more than taxed the opposition, which was not pood in combined work, and during the first half hail things very much their own way. In this spell they rattled on IS noints to their opponent's three. The second half, however, was more in Marist (Brothcrd Old ißoy'e favour, and they added eight more points, while their opponent's accounted for six. Ponsonby'a forward division assisted their backs to an appreciable extent, and showed up well in loose ruehee. As against thin the Marist Brothers Old Boys were spasmodic, and did not combine as well as their opponent*: in fact, this was lacking, individual play being their strong point. In this direction Martin, Twohiil, ami I.ush figured prominently. For Ponaonby Prentice shone out ns a point getter from kicks, by this means accounting for no less than 10 points of the 24 scored by hie side. It would be difficult to differentiate between the winners, for they all worked hard, and looked none the worse for their play at the end of the game. Mr. Crichton gave every satisfaction as referee.

HONOURS TO COLLEGE RIFLES. By beating Grammar Old Boys on Saturday College Killee have put themselves safe for the season's honours. Tile game was a peculiar one in that for the first spell Grammar had all the best of the play, nn<l even though College Rifles had scored six points to nil it looked as though (Jrammar would eventually win. But in the second spell the pame took on a new nepect. The Grammar forwards, who had dominated the piny up to that point, lost their grip, and the Rifle* , harks made the pace too hot for their opponents, cracking on a couple of tries, which put them 14 points up, while Clrammar were yet without a score. It was then that Grammar showed their best scoring form, getting a couple of tries from a combination of bock and forward rushes. They faded out again, however, and their opponents ran them off their feet and scored another couple of tries.

Grammar's display was difiuppointing, and it was evident that the large number of changes in the team had upset its combination. Individually the new forwards, Russell, Wilson, George and Good, showed up well, and they were responsible for the pack's predominance in open work in the first spell, but they repeatedly spoilt matters by breaking from the scrum too soon and infringing the ou~side rule. They were evidently under a misapprehension respecting the ofl-sido rule, and the infringements lost the side many good chances. The backs played well, but their handling was not so crisp nor their pace so fast ac that of College Rifles.

The College Rifles backs wero right at the top of their form, their individual handling being; good and their bouta crisp, nippj-. and fast, while they received well-timed assistance from their rover, Sutherland, who was a constant source of trouble to the other side. Tn the scrum work the Rifles were superior, but generally Grammar more thnn held their own in open forward play. Watson, who had gone from the pack to full-back, to make room for R. Sellers, gave an excellent display in the last line of defence.

Grammar were unfortunate in that their goal-kickers—and they tried four good men—had a day off, the ehote in half a dozen instances going just outside the posts.

GRAFTON V. NEWTON. Newton «'ompiled more points in tlieir match with Grafton on \Saturday last than they have done in any of tlieir other contests this season, but they had again to lower their colours and suffered defeat by 24 points to ]1. The match was regarded more or less as a joke, and two spells of twenty-five minutes only were played. Grafton had a heavier pack and showed more combination than the red and whites, and owed their victory to that fact.

KING'S V. GRAMMAR. The exhibition match, King's College v. Grammar School on Saturday was not nearly so even and exciting a game as the two previous competition matches, which were drawn. Grammar School jumped off immediately with a score, and this appeared to demoralise their opponents, fo r Grammar kept them constantly on the run and put on iiftecn points before half-time. There was obviously something wrong with King's College serum, and it transpires that a couple of the lads were suffering from disabilities which prevented them from playing up to form. As it was Grammar dominated the game until the last twenty was started, when they had 21 points on. Then King'e College showed something of their old form and rattled on 11 points before the game ended, though on the game throughout there was only one team in it—Grammar. THAMES V. AUCKLAND. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) THAMES, this day. The following team has been chosen to represent Thames In the mutch agalnßt Auckland on Saturday next- Winder Poland, Heath, O'Donnell. Royal L Sinltn' Mooney, K. Smith, AlexnndeV, Lomas t'. Johnston, Morgan, 11. Johnston. II Ilayward. R. Smith. Owing to Injuries received by players, the team is not considered as strong as that which defeated Auckland at Thames. An interesting feature is the return of "Ctrcue" Hayward, the well time represeatatiTe.

DALMATIANS BARRED. 15V WIIAKATAXE UNION. (By Telegraph.—Owu Corespondent.) WHAKATANK, this day. The vexed question of Dalmatians being allowed to play under the Whakatane Rugby Union was dealt with by the management committee last evening. Te Tcko Cluib wrote that hurried affiliation was t-he cause of the non-registra-lion of some players, and they submitted 15 names for registration. The president (Mr. X. R. Boon) said one of these fifteen was a Dalmatian. Mr. Shaw said at least IWα clubs would refuse to play against a team including Dalmatians. Mr. A. \V. Painter, the Whukatane Club's delegate, said eight of that club's players refused to play against Dalmatians. Mr. W. Walker (Poroporo Club, all natives) said three players of that club who were returned soldiers aleo refused. In reply to a question it was stated that the Matata team at tirst included a Dalmatian, but not since. The matter of Dalmatians playing was first discussed by the union. It was resolved to inform Te Teko and Matata clubs that the union absolutely refused to allow Dalmatians to play in its cup fixtures, namely, the senior grade competition. The Whakatane representative team to play Te Puke at Te Puke on Saturday is as follows: —FulMwiok. <J. Kelly"; thrceqiiartrrs. Ko.-pa. Stowell, A. NU-w----art; live-eighths, D. Carter, Ruta; half, Paul; forwards, (Inner, Pattie, A. Laivson, Marii, A. Hutohingn, C. Comisky, J. Kororiko; rover, Iloropapera.